Interestingly, not only did they find that a couple of glasses of beer or wine saw you 18 per cent less likely to die a premature death, but those slightly overweight were three per cent less likely to meet one's end early.

"I have no explanation for it, but i do firmly believe that modest drinking improves longevity," said Kawas, speaking at the American Association for the Advancement of Science annual conference.

The 15 year study also revealed other key findings: two hours a day practicing a hobby led to a 21 per cent decrease in the risk of premature passing while 15 to 45 minutes a day of physical activity reduced your chances by 11 per cent.